


My heart’s just a drum, and damn does it pound

by percyyoulittleshit



Series: Intertwined [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Universe, College, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22761715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percyyoulittleshit/pseuds/percyyoulittleshit
Summary: For the first time in her life, there is one test Annabeth Chase wants to absolutely fail or the one where Annabeth and Percy had a pregnancy scare and ended up having a long overdue talk about their future.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Series: Intertwined [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/727080
Comments: 22
Kudos: 253





	My heart’s just a drum, and damn does it pound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ofswordsandpens](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofswordsandpens/gifts).



Annabeth had never been so terrified of taking a test before. Her heart was trying to escape her chest, her hands were tingling, her mouth was dry. This test, that was only five minutes, could change her life and for the first time ever she wanted to fail. The pregnancy test was staring at her, mocking her in a way that made Annabeth want to throw it out of the window and run it over with Percy’s car. But she couldn’t do that, at least not until she peed and waited for what was probably the longest five minutes of her life.

“What if it’s positive?” Annabeth asked the moment she walked out of the bathroom, the little white stick left on the sink. Seeing it would only make her more anxious.

Percy looked up from his phone and dropped it carefully on the coffee table in front of where he sat on the couch. She could see the timer numbers, _4:55_ against the black background, the time left until their lives could change forever. Percy licked his lips slowly, in that way he did when he was choosing his words carefully, something that didn’t happen often but showed her how big this situation was. 

“Do you want a baby?“ he asked.

Her answer was instant. “ _No_ , I can’t have a baby right now, I just can’t,” Annabeth said walking towards him and sitting next to him on the couch. Percy instantly linked their hands. “We just started our senior year of college, we’re just twenty-two, we can’t add a baby to the mix now, we just can’t.”

“Then we won’t.” 

“Do you want a baby?”

“I mean yeah.” Percy shrugged. Annabeth’s eyes widened at the statement. She felt a pang in her chest and was starting to forget how to breathe again. Percy immediately sensed her shock because he hurriedly added. “ _No_ ! Gods, not right _now!_ In a few years maybe, after we get married and have stable jobs and an apartment where we can raise kids.”

She glanced at his phone, _2:34_. “If it’s positive…”

“I’m going to be by your side supporting your choice in any way you want.”

“Even if that means a trip to the abortion clinic?”

“Every step of the way.” Percy brought her hand to his lips. “It’s okay to not want this baby, after all, we both know how terrible it was when Estelle was born and we had to babysit her so my parents could rest.”

“She was the best reason to use birth control, that’s for sure,” Annabeth remembered the first time she had to babysit Estelle all by herself. Estelle had been three months old and by the time Sally and Percy came back home, Annabeth was crying alongside her. “And yet here we are because that fucking condom broke.”

“Annabeth, I love my mom so much and I wouldn’t change a thing but there were times when we barely had anything to eat.” Percy bit his lips. “I started to work when I was six because we needed the money for food and for blankets because the winters were harsh and we barely had a heater….”

“I know our situation will be different and I know our parents, well the mortal ones at least, would support us if we decided to have the baby but I- I don’t want to have a kid until I know I can provide everything for them.”

One sneaky glance at his phone, _1:02._ “I’m so close to graduating with honors, I have firms interested in me working with them after graduation. I can’t pause everything that I’m so close to having, I can’t- ” Annabeth felt tears form in her eyes. “Is it selfish to say I don’t want to give up my dream for a baby?”

“No, it’s not selfish not all.” 

“I mean, it’s not that I’m saying a definite no to having kids.” Annabeth closed her eyes, the idea of a little girl or boy with Percy’s hair and eyes running around while she and Percy laughed along had crossed her mind more than once. It was a memory she wanted to create but on her own terms. 

Percy smiled at her. “It’s a no for now.”

Before Annabeth could reply, Percy’s alarm went off. A big _0:00_ was on the screen and all the calm from talking with Percy disappeared. Annabeth started to shake, her body wasn’t sure how to breathe anymore and she wasn’t sure she could get up from the couch. 

“Do you want me to…” Percy didn’t finish the question, instead, he pointed to the bathroom. Annabeth nodded. She was terrified, and Percy was probably too but was being strong for her. If she was being honest Annabeth was thankful for it, just for this moment, she could give into her fears knowing Percy was there with her.

Percy came back and put the test upside down on the table, just like she had left it on the sink. His arm started moving towards the test but she caught his sleeve and stopped him, she needed to do this part. After a deep breath and with a shaky hand, she turned over the pregnancy test.

 _One line. Negative. No baby_. Annabeth wasn’t sure if the sound she made was a laugh or a sob, but she knew what she was feeling _relief_. Percy exhaled next to her, his body melting into the couch, the tension he had been hiding leaving his body.

“Thank the gods,” he mumbled while running his hands against his face.

“I’m not pregnant.” Annabeth’s body started to remember how to breathe and a bubble of happiness started to expand in her chest. “We aren’t- there isn’t going to be a baby.”

“Who do we have to burn our dinner as offering to?” Percy asked, relief apparent in his voice.

“I have no idea, but holy shit.” Annabeth let her body fall on top of Percy’s on the couch. “Oh gods, I can finally breathe.”

Annabeth let her body half melt on the couch, half on top of Percy. All the tension and nausea, definitely NOT morning sickness, she had been feeling finally left her body, leaving her with a numbness she happily welcomed. Under her, Percy guided their bodies and reached for a blanket so they could lay comfortably on the couch. Annabeth against his chest, his arm around her, his fingers playing with her hair, soothing her. The warmth of Percy’s body, the soothing rhythm of his hands, added with the emotional toll she had just lived, was luring Annabeth into a peaceful sleep, but before she could finally zone out Percy’s voice brought her back to reality.

“There’s a Planned Parenthood a short drive away,” Percy said quietly. 

“Did you…?” Annabeth moved a little, so she could face him, surprise evident in her voice and face. It had been less than 12 hours since the moment she realized her period was late to right now, Percy had been by her side most of the time, and during this whole situation she had never thought of researching the closest Planned Parenthood.

Percy shook his head and booped her nose, making her smile. “My mom accidentally got pregnant before she could even apply for college, you bet she was going to make sure I knew everything about protected sex when you and I started dating.” Percy chuckled and Annabeth could feel heat rushing to her cheeks. “Plus I got a really long and awkwardly detailed second talk when I told her we were moving in together.”

“Ugh.” Annabeth cringed. “Dad tried to give me a talk but it was painful and there wasn’t much he could say when he barely held my mother’s hand and yet here I am so he just handed me a box of condoms.”

Percy snorted. “Why have you not told me that!? I love this.”

“Because it was painful, for him and me, and I wanted to pretend it never happened.”

“That’s better at least than having to hear your own mother say clitoris, more than once.” Percy shivered and pretended to throw up before barking out a laugh. “On the other hand, Paul just keeps giving me boxes of condoms every time I go home.”

“Well, that explains your never-ending supply.” Annabeth pulled a face. “Fucking little bitches that break and give pregnancy scares.”

Percy snorted. “Which brings me back to my original point, we should make an appointment at Planned Parenthood, to see what other options are out there.”

“For birth control?” 

“Yeah.”

Annabeth laid down on his chest again. “Let’s do it then, I think one pregnancy scare is more than enough.”

“Cheers to that.”

Annabeth closed her eyes trying to drift back to sleep, but her brain had gotten a second wind and didn’t want to rest. Instead, it wanted to analyze every single thing that had happened that day, every word she and Percy had said. Annabeth wasn’t going to lie, while she knew without a doubt she wasn’t going to keep the baby if she had ended up being pregnant, she hadn’t been absolutely sure Percy was on the same page as her. There was no doubt in her mind and heart that they were going to be together for the rest of their lives, it was just a fact. Water was wet, the sky was blue, and Percy and she were going to be together forever. But having that certainty also came with a little problem: they didn’t feel the need to talk about it. Sure, they were going to get married eventually, but they hadn’t really discussed _when_ , and they had made passing comments about kids, especially when Estelle was still a baby but they hadn’t _talked_ about it. She wanted it someday, and from what Percy had said that day, he also wanted it. Since Annabeth wouldn’t be able to nap she guessed it was a good time to bring up that topic. 

“So.” Annabeth patted Percy’s leg to get him to scoot over so she could sit properly on the couch. “Married with kids?” Annabeth quoted his words emphasizing the _s._

“I mean.” Percy moved around on the couch until they were both facing each other. Annabeth sitting with her legs crossed with the blanket around her shoulders. “Yeah.”

“Good because I do want us to get married.” Annabeth wrapped herself more comfortably in the blanket. “You want more than one kid?”

“I love Estelle, I truly do, I adore her, you know? But there’s a seventeen-year difference between us and I just-” Percy bit his lower lip and took a few seconds to find his next words. “I was an only child for so long and it was just me and my mom against the world. And I was happy, I was truly happy with her, but sometimes I wonder how it would have been if Estelle and I had grown up together.”

Percy shrugged and Annabeth knew what he meant. More than once they had taken Estelle to the park only for them to be confused as her parents. The siblings had a weird dynamic where the line between brother and father figured blurred a little bit.

“I sometimes feel like an only child,” Annabeth confessed. “Which is stupid because look at how many step-siblings I have.” In theory, Annabeth grew up in a cabin full of siblings, and for a long time she was the youngest yet she was considered one the cabin leaders. Again another weird dynamic, but this time it came thanks to her mother. Then there were Bobby and Matthew, her mortal step-siblings who weren’t sure what to make of her, making Annabeth keep her distance from them.

“So, two kids?”

“I think that’s a good number.” Annabeth extended her left hand towards him and Percy took it immediately, giving her a comforting squeeze. “We still have a long way before that.”

“Yup, not anytime soon.” Percy made a popping sound with the p and Annabeth stuck her tongue at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but it took him a few seconds to actually make a sound. “And the married part?” There was a hint of shy nervousness in his voice that Annabeth hadn’t heard in a long time.

They had known each other for over nine years and had celebrated their sixth anniversary not that long ago. They had been living together for over a year now, had traveled together, been lost in the woods together - during quests and during camping trips; they knew each other better than they knew themselves. In a few months, when their graduation wasn’t that far away, they were going to start apartment hunting in Manhattan; marriage was not a crazy idea for them, it was a normal step for their relationship. For a moment she could see it as clearly as if she was there. Percy standing at the end of an aisle, the ocean behind him matching his eyes, his smile breathtaking as he offered his hand to her. Just that picture in her head filled her with unspeakable happiness.

“I don’t want a ring until I have my diploma,” Annabeth said unable to contain the happiness the idea brought her, a nice drastic change from what she was feeling less than an hour ago.

“So after we graduate….” Percy started to slowly play with her hand, his fingers making random patterns against her skin.

Annabeth tried to hide the shivers his touch was giving her. “It’s up to you.”

Percy only hummed in agreement and his fingers started to play with her ring finger, exactly where an engagement ring or wedding band would be. “We should make that appointment soon.” Percy finally said.

It took Annabeth a few seconds to catch up, the Planned Parenthood talk had been lost to her after some other thoughts took the front of the line. She cleared her thoughts and for a moment the anxiety of thinking she was pregnant took over again before she remembered the negative pregnancy test. “The sooner the better. I think I don’t trust condoms anymore.”

Percy chuckled. “Fair.” He brought her hand toward his lips, kissing her fourth finger. “I think you need some wine and I need a lot of Coke, and we both need some pizza.” 

“More like a bottle of wine.”

“And it would still be a lot cheaper than having a baby.”

Annabeth threw her blanket at him, laughing. “Come on, let’s go celebrate the fact that we’re not becoming parents.”

**Author's Note:**

> When the condom broke Annabeth thought they would be fine and have no risk of being pregnant so hence not taking the morning after pill but her period got late thanks to her college stress and woop, she thought she was pregnant 
> 
> Also fun fact: If the condom had broken while she was ovulating, there was a 99% chance the after morning pill would have NOT worked. 
> 
> Also as a doctor, I am obligated to say: Morning after pill is not a birth control method, should not be used more than two times per year. Since it was created for emergency only it had lots of hormones that can fuck up your hormones balance, there are so many different types of birth control and it's just finding what's best for you (in this case Annabeth is going to end up using an arm implant as birth control)
> 
> If you want more information please go to a Planned Parenthood for orientation or your health center. If you are Mexican and go to a health center something you should know is birth control is free, not only condoms, you just need to talk with the nurse and doctor to see what's better for you!
> 
> Take care of your body and always use protection (unless you are planning to have a baby, then you should already be taking folic acid)


End file.
